1. Background--Field of Invention
This invention relates to a holder for brochures, coupons, and literature, and the die cut blank therefor, which when assembled, displays these items referred to herein hereafter as literature, from a store shelf "pricing channel", also referred to as a "shelf strip", located on the outside edge of the store shelf facing the aisle, in a way that the literature holder's contents will most easily be seen by consumers approaching from either direction in store aisles.
2. Background--Description of Prior Art
Consumers frequently make buying decisions while walking aisles of retail stores. Calling an approaching consumer's attention to coupons and literature at the store shelf where a product is displayed among similar products, helps locate the product and differentiate it from products around it.
Literature holders currently available are generally made primarily to display from a flat surface, such as counter or table, and to display their contents in one direction, from the front of the holder.
Some literature holders can be used to display from the store's shelf edge pricing channel, by use of a separate fastener which attaches the back of the holder to the pricing channel, so the holder faces outward from the shelf. This positioning holds the contents so they are best seen from in front of the holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,731, to Albery (1986) is typical. Albery's holder and most other holders designed for display from the front of the holder, can be displayed from the shelf edge pricing channel, if a hole should be die cut in the back panel, through which a fastener may be passed, and which fastener itself attaches to the store shelf pricing channel or to another fastener which is attached to the pricing channel.
This is clearly illustrated by the Spider Clip, U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,987 to Conway, (1981), a plastic device which attaches to the pricing channel, and has molded to it a couple dart clips, which may be broken away and passed through the back panel of a literature holder to fasten it to the Spider Clip which is attached to the shelf pricing channel.
Similarly, the Shelf Extender Clip, U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,840 to Babberl, (1980), fastens to the shelf pricing channel and has on it an adhesive pad to which the back of a literature holder may be pressed for attachment to the shelf edge, presenting the literature holder in the same way the spider clip would hold it, facing outward.
Fasteners For Retail, Inc., of Cleveland, Ohio, is a leading distributor of literature holders and means of fastening them to store shelves. The Shelf Extender Clip, Spider Clip, and a number of typical literature holders, some with patents pending, are pictured with illustrations of how they typically attach literature holders to the store shelf pricing channel, on pages 41 and 36 of the "Fasteners For Retail, Inc." 1993 Catalog. Current state of the art for literature holders die cut with provision for shelf attachment are also shown in Fasteners For Retail, Inc. Literature entitled, "info-systems TM". These references are attached.
In many instances it is preferable to have a literature holder which displays its contents at a 90 degree angle to the shelf, so the contents may be arranged to face consumers advancing from either direction, rather than facing outward from the shelf. Displays which face outward from the shelf display the contents primarily to consumers positioned directly in front.
A literature holder would be more conveniently attached to the shelf pricing channel, if it could be attached without additional fasteners, adhesive pads or tools.
It would be more convenient and economical if it were not necessary to inventory or carry along additional items like fasteners, without which a literature holder cannot be attached to the store shelf pricing channel.